Tabulating mechanism for typewriters and like machines



Dec. 27, 1966 K. G. JCJNSSON 3,294,213

TABULATING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS AND LIKE MACHINES Filed Nov. 20,1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. KARL GUNNAR JONSSON ATTORN EYS Dec. 27,1966 K. G- JONSSON TABULATING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS AND LIKEMACHINES Filed Nov. 20, 1964 FIG. 3

FIG. 2

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NVENTOR. KARL su R JONSSON ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,294,213 TABULATING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS AND LIKE MACHINESKarl Gunnar Jiinsson, Karlshamn, Sweden, assignor to Facit-HaldaAktiebolag, Svangsta, Sweden, a joint-stock company Filed Nov. 20, 1964,Ser. No. 412,642 Claims priority, application Sweden, Nov. 26, 1963,13,045/63 2 Claims. (Cl. 197-179) The present invention relates totabulating mechanisms for typewriters and like machines, and is moreparticularly concerned with a tabulating mechanism having tabulatorstops of two different kinds mounted side by side to form an assemblyextending over the whole length of the platen of the typewriter or likemachine, the tabulator stops of one kind being ordinary stops, whereasspecial tabulator stops beyond beingindividually adapted to be set andbrought back to inactive position may also be set all at the same timeto afford a predetermined standard tabulating pattern.

It is an object of the invention to provide a tabulating mechanism ofthe kind set out above having parts which do not require manufacturingto very close tolerances, and which may be easily assembled together.

With this and other objects in view, an embodiment of the invention isnow going to be described with reference to the annexed drawings.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tabulating mechanism for a typewriter,

FIG. 2 illustrates the camshaft of the tabulating mechanism in positionin which it has returned the tabulating stops to non-active (zero)position, and

FIG. 3 illustrates the camshaft in setting position for the specialtabulator stops.

In the illustrated embodiment a plurality of tabulator stops aredisposed over the whole typing width of a typewriter, and are lodged inguide grooves 3a in a transversely extending tabulator rod 3, rigidlysecured between end plates 4a, 4b belonging to the carriage frame as forexample by bent-over lugs 8 of the plates 4a and 4b.

The tabulator stops are of two different shapes, ordinary stops 1 andspecial stops 2 having differently shaped central aperture. Thus stop 1has a circular central portion 11 and a radially extended portion 12 oflimited angular extent defined by the walls 13, whereas stop 2, althoughhaving the same circular portion and the same radially extended portion,has that radially extended portion of lesser angular extent as definedby the radial walls 14 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The stops 1 and 2 are allrotatably journalled on a common shaft extending through their centralcircular apertures, this shaft being in its turn supported by theside-walls 3c of a longitudinal groove 315 formed in the tabulator rod3. The shaft 5 extends at the right hand side beyond the carriage endplate 4a, and is provided at its extreme end with an operating arm 6 bywhich fractional rotation movements may be manually imparted to theshaft 5. At the left hand end (not illustrated) the shaft 5 extendsthrough the left carriage end plate 4b.

Spring means (not illustrated) of a well-known kind are provided forreturning the shaft 5 to an intermediate position, namely the dottedposition of FIG. 2, after its having been actuated by means of theoperating arm 6 for setting or returning the special tabulator stops 2.

The central aperture of each stop 1 and 2 is made up of a circular holeaccommodating with some radial clearance the body of the shaft 5, and alateral extension which is of lesser angular extent for the specialstops 2 than for the ordinary stops 1 as described above (FIGS. 2 and3). The lateral extensions of the holes accommodate a longitudinal cammember 5a formed on the shaft 5. Upon fractional rotation of shaft 5from the dotted position '10 of FIG. 2 the special stops 2 may be movedfrom the retracted position illustrated in FIG. 2 to the active positionillustrated in FIG. 3, or oppositely as shown in full lines in FIG. 2,while the ordinary stops 1 remain unaffected. The full line position ofcam 5a, FIG. 2 is never maintained but momentary movement of shaft 5 tothis position is effective to move active stops 1 or 2 to the inactiveposition.

If ordinary stops have been set, however, they will be returned toinactive position upon fractional rotation of shaft 5 in the returnsense (clockwise in FIG. 3).

The tabulator stops 1 and 2 are urged against the bottoms 3d of thegrooves 3a in the rod 3 by spring tongues 7a formed in a comb-likeprofile member 7 secured by screw means 9 to the rod 3. The tongues 7asecure the tabulator stops in either of two positions by engaging one orthe other of two notches 1a formed in the outward facing lateral edge ofthe stops.

The tabulator stops are adapted to engage stop members of conventionaltype provided in the stationary structure of the typewriter, and boththe ordinary stops 1 and the special stops 2 may be individually set andindividually cancelled in a manner well known per se. The special stops2 as described above are further disposed in such a manner that uponfractional rotation of the shaft 5 in one sense the longitudinal cam 5aformed along the shaft will actuate only the special stops 2 which willthen be set according to a predetermined pattern.

Upon fractional rotation of the shaft 5, in the oppo site sense alltabulator stops which have been set are returned to initial position,regardless if they are special stops 2 or ordinary stops 1.

The simultaneous setting and returning of the special stops 2 imposes arather heavy stress on the shaft 5 which latter may be quite long incertain cases.

Disturbances caused by such overtaxing of the shaft 5 are obviated bythe shaft receiving support from the side-walls 3c of the groove 3bformed in the tabulator rod 3.

What I claim is:

1. A carriage tabulating mechanism for typewriters and the likecomprising, in combination, a tabulating rod extending longitudinally ofthe carriage, a plurality of transversely extending guide slots in saidrod, a like plu rality of tabulator stops, each guided in one of saidslots, alongitudinally extending groove in said tabulating rod, saidgroove extending into the portion of said rod hear ing said transverseslots, circular openings in said tabulator stops, a shaft extendingthrough said openings, said shaft being journaled in said longitudinalgroove and forming a support upon which said tabulator stops arerotatably mounted, a spring comb having a tooth bearing against eachsaid tabulator stop to hold said shaft in said longitudinal groove, aradially extending protrusion extending throughout the length of saidshaft, said tabulator stops comprising a first and a second groupwherein said openings are enlarged to a greater radius over lesser orgreater angular extents respectively, said shaft protrusion lying insaid enlarged openings, said tabulator stops of the first group beingadapted to be set to active position or restored to inactive position byrotation of said shaft in opposite directions from a center position andsaid stops of the second group being adapted to be manually set toactive position and to be returned to inactive position together withsaid first stops by rotation of said shaft.

2. A carriage tabulating mechanism for typewriters and the like asclaimed in claim 1, wherein each said tabulating stop has a recesscooperating with a tooth of said References Cited by the Examiner UNITEDSTATES PATENTS 4/ 1913 Lockwood 7/ 1913 Roberts Lockwood 197179 Ramsey197179 Aichele 19770 Hoysak 197179 ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

E. T. WRIGHT, Assistant Examiner.

1. A CARRIAGE TABULATING MECHANISM FOR TYPEWRITERS AND THE LIKECOMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A TABULATING ROD EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY OFTHE CARRIAGE, A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING GUIDE SLOTS IN SAIDROD, A LIKE PLURALITY OF TABULATOR STOPS, EACH GUIDED IN ONE OF SAIDSLOTS, A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING GROOVE IN SAID TABULATING ROD, SAIDGROOVE EXTENDING INTO THE PORTION OF SAID ROD BEARING SAID TRANSVERSESLOTS, CIRCULAR OPENINGS IN SAID TABULATOR STOPS, A SHAFT EXTENDINGTHROUGH SAID OPENINGS, SAID SHAFT BEING JOURNALED IN SAID LONGITUDINALGROOVE AND FORMING A SUPPORT UPON WHICH SAID TABULATOR STOPS AREROTATABLY MOUNTED, A SPRING COMB HAVING A TOOTH BEARING AGAINST EACHSAID TABULATOR STOP TO HOLD SAID SHAFT IN SAID LONGITUDINAL GROOVE, ARADIALLY EXTENDING PROTRUSION EXTENDING THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAIDSHAFT, SAID TABULATOR STOPS COMPRISING A FIRST AND A SECOND GROUPWHEREIN SAID OPENINGS ARE ENLARGED TO A GREATER RADIUS OVER LESSER ORGREATER ANGULAR EXTENTS RESPECTIVELY, SAID SHAFT PROTRUSION LYING INSAID ENLARGED OPENINGS, SAID TABULTOR STOPS OF THE FIRST GROUP BEINGADAPTED TO BE SET TO ACTIVE POSITION OR RESTORED TO INACTIVE POSITION BYROTATION OF SAID SHAFT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS FROM A CENTER POSITION ANDSAID STOPS OF THE SECOND GROUP BEING ADAPTED TO BE MANUALLY SET TOACTIVE POSITION AND TO BE RETURNED TO INACTIVE POSITION TOGETHER WITHSAID FIRST STOPS BY ROTATION OF SAID SHAFT.